PSno23, no, cold wasn't a problem at all, im from MT and used to the cold. I did receive a failing PFT (222, the lowest score I have ever had, down from a 274 preship one month before). I DOR'd because after I had that score, I let it really get to me. I realized how much little tiny failures can affect me, and didn't think I would be comfortable having lives in my hands if every little failure was going to hit me this hard. Oh, yeah, the reasons for the low PFT (the cold did affect me a little, Im not used to doing pull ups outside) My pullups were at 16 (19, but he didnt count three to make an example) down from 24 four days earlier. Crunches, if you read in the pullups and run thread, I explain this, basicly it was a difference in technique between what I was taught by my OSA and what they expected there, and the run time... I got shin splints right after my preship PFT (literally two days later) and had to use the stationary bike for the next month. although I did a great cardio workout for 1 hour 6 days a week, it wasn't proper for the run. The muscles I wasnt using on the bike (lower back, calves, etc...) all tightened up arround mile 2, and everyone started running on by, i ended up with a 25 minute 3 mile, it sucked soooo bad.
Any way, someone asked me to tell about my short experience there. It wasn't too bad (then again, I never nhad to go through pick up with the SIs and DIs in your face.) when you get off the plane and go the the baggace claim C to get picked up, your world changes (if you aren't a prior). as soon as you get tehre, dont walk right up to the marines in Charlies, stand a good 6 feet away, and they will come to you and ask for your name. Your military training really starts right nere, so dont call the Sgt. Sir like I did (I always use Sir as a courtesy) you then put on your go fasters, and sit untill a full bus load arrives, then you ride to Quantico.
The next few days are boring, It is all admin crap , and you sit in an old clasroom (that even when it is freezing outside is about 80 degrees with 300 candidates in there) and do a lot of waiting and reading your "knowledge" A.K.A the candidate regs (easy stuff, youll have it memorized in a day, and just pretend to read for the next 2 or 3 days) when you don't go to the chow hall to eat, little boxes of food and juice are given to you (the juice is way to sugary, and every box meal comes with a snickers, I thought I was going to sugar crash a few times, I got sooo tired) if you get tired, stand up and drink water, it will wake you up. You will spend this time filling out paper work (not much paperwork), punching out your stencils (the stencil machines suck), helping other punch out stencils, giving information to a person who will type it in a computer, then you will get your Candidate handbook (big thick book "blue monster" not blue anymore). but mostly, you will be sitting arround.there will be a period in there wher you go over and pick up your poncho, gore-tex, gloves, warbelt, canteen covers, canteens, beanie, etc... and fill out a form saying that you recieved all of this.
If you go anywhere (head), utilize the buddy system, they will start to require this arround day two or three. Medical is boring too, you pee in a cup, and go over to the med center where you are checked out, get a TB test shot, and give blood (aviation guys, you will have already given all the samples needed at your flight 1 physical so you wont need to give any blood) but mostly, youll be standing/sitting arround. The Corpsman in the med center are cool as hell,
Well, that about all I can think of for now, good luck to all of you planning to go, and god speed to all of you already graduated/in the fleet!